NACS extension cord for Superchargers

[EWELON]

https://a2zev.com/products/dc-nacs-extension-cord-6-9-ft-2-3-meters?_pos=6&_sid=246c762e8&_ss=r


Just wanted to create a thread where @A2ZEV could update us on the progress of this badly needed product. Yes, im subscribed for email alerts. Just want to know about it asap. As soon as its validated for use, im in!

Admins feel free to combine with a more appropriate thread.

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[henchman24]

This is frankly a very bad idea for a Cybertruck. V3 superchargers routinely will hit 625+ amps and V3+ can hit 825+. A 400 amp cable is asking for a ton of issues. Tesla gets away with lower limit cables exceeding by liquid cooling and extreme temperature monitoring. Sure this will trip when it gets too hot, but at lower states of charge it will continuously trip. If it ever fails to trip, melting down is not out of realm of possibility.

Used on a product that won't exceed 160kW (at 400v), it will be perfectly fine... beyond that, it really needs to be a 500amp cable minimum (for most EVs), 650 amp for non-CT Teslas, and 800 amp for CT.

 

[SCTesla]

This is frankly a very bad idea for a Cybertruck. V3 superchargers routinely will hit 625+ amps and V3+ can hit 825+. A 400 amp cable is asking for a ton of issues. Tesla gets away with lower limit cables exceeding by liquid cooling and extreme temperature monitoring. Sure this will trip when it gets too hot, but at lower states of charge it will continuously trip. If it ever fails to trip, melting down is not out of realm of possibility.

Used on a product that won't exceed 160kW (at 400v), it will be perfectly fine... beyond that, it really needs to be a 500amp cable minimum (for most EVs), 650 amp for non-CT Teslas, and 800 amp for CT.

Agreed. Wes already said not to use this at a SC with the CT.

 

[EWELON]

Agreed. Wes already said not to use this at a SC with the CT.

this is a different product. they sell an extension for home charger already. I think I saw that A2Z was working on the higher rating. possibly directly with tesla. thats why it isnt available yet.

edit: according to chat gpt theyre not working with tesla and yes currently tesla says these things are a no-no for all the reasons stated in other threads. I however remain hopeful that the company will do its due diligence.

 

[SCTesla]

this is a different product. they sell an extension for home charger already. I think I saw that A2Z was working on the higher rating. possibly directly with tesla. thats why it isnt available yet.

It doesn't matter the product, this is his tweet:

Would recommend AGAINST using an extension cord on a supercharger (or any DC charging station with a liquid cooled cable). Have seen multiple instances of the cable overheated and shorting DC +/- There's a temperature measurement in the handle and the supercharger derates based on that temperature. With the extension cable that safety goes away. On top of adding an additional junction which generates heat making matters worse.

Edit: It appears it was the exact product he was advising not to use A2zev.

 

[EWELON]

It doesn't matter the product, this is his tweet:

Would recommend AGAINST using an extension cord on a supercharger (or any DC charging station with a liquid cooled cable). Have seen multiple instances of the cable overheated and shorting DC +/- There's a temperature measurement in the handle and the supercharger derates based on that temperature. With the extension cable that safety goes away. On top of adding an additional junction which generates heat making matters worse.

Edit: It appears it was the exact product he was advising not to use A2zev.

yep. I imagine that it was changed from “available” with a price to “coming soon” with no price as part of the fallout from this.

not to worry - I dont plan on doing anything to damage the best EV charging infrastructure out there

 

[SCTesla]

yep. I imagine that it was changed from “available” with a price to “coming soon” with no price as part of the fallout from this.

not to worry - I dont plan on doing anything to damage the best EV charging infrastructure out there

You're probably more likely to damage the truck.

I wouldn't use one.

 

[henchman24]

Tesla will always recommend against extension usage, simply because they cannot guarantee anything and their products are at risk. They have extensively designed the vehicles and chargers to stay within their parameters... using a 3rd party cable is outside of that. This isn't a simple adapter that is basically changing connections and has no real length to create resistance... it is a 9 ft string of copper that is undersized to a pretty large degree. At 400 amps, it is already a beefy boy of a cable... but at V3s you'll be exceeding the rating by over 50%. At V3+ by over 100%. It is a recipe for disaster.

Now I could buy a 400 amp rating with a 10 minute boost to 500 amps. We have seen cable manufacturers do similar that are not liquid cooled. Those don't have a use case on a Tesla though as pretty much any 2018+ Tesla will request over 500 amps. There are plenty of other EVs out there that will only request 400 or less amps... that is what this should really be targeted for (and is probably safe... though I wouldn't use it). A 500 amp version could be very useful as very few non-Teslas will request over 500 amps currently (more will hit the road soon).

 

[hemiarch]

How many of you have been to a supercharger where it wasn’t possible to plug in the CT? Where? What configuration? Please share.
I keep hearing how badly needed this thing is every time some iteration of this thread shows up every several months but why?
My personal experience as someone with free supercharging who uses them an awful lot has been that with smart parking towards the left of the spot and carefully backing close to the charger this is never the case. There are instances where you’re too close to open the tailgate but none I’ve seen where I could not charge. Trailer spots and side chargers are even easier

 

[henchman24]

How many of you have been to a supercharger where it wasn’t possible to plug in the CT? Where? What configuration? Please share.
I keep hearing how badly needed this thing is every time some iteration of this thread shows up every several months but why?
My personal experience as someone with free supercharging who uses them an awful lot has been that with smart parking towards the left of the spot and carefully backing close to the charger this is never the case. There are instances where you’re too close to open the tailgate but none I’ve seen where I could not charge. Trailer spots and side chargers are even easier

Unless people are towing or have a hitch mounted rack on (which is simply a different problem really only solved by pull through), there should be zero issue. I've had a few be close, but always manageable.

 

[pae1andonly]

Have never encountered a side-charge supercharger setup. I'm guessing that would make plowing more challenging. Sure would make the hookup to the CT a bunch easier.

 

[hemiarch]

Have never encountered a side-charge supercharger setup. I'm guessing that would make plowing more challenging. Sure would make the hookup to the CT a bunch easier.

Almost very supercharger i frequent now has at least one. It’s a regular spot except instead of the charger being at the back of the spot it’s right across from the charge port when parked. Something like this you pull into forwards.

 

[carsly]

How many of you have been to a supercharger where it wasn’t possible to plug in the CT? Where? What configuration? Please share.
I keep hearing how badly needed this thing is every time some iteration of this thread shows up every several months but why?
My personal experience as someone with free supercharging who uses them an awful lot has been that with smart parking towards the left of the spot and carefully backing close to the charger this is never the case. There are instances where you’re too close to open the tailgate but none I’ve seen where I could not charge. Trailer spots and side chargers are even easier

Visit any DC FC on the NJ Turnpike.

They ripped out the Tesla Superchargers in favor of Applegreen CCS chargers with screwed on NACS adapters. Those adapters don't clear the fender of the Cybertruck so you can NOT DC FC a Cybertruck from any dispenser on the NJ Turnpike. BTW, this also applies to the Applegreen-run stations in NY state as well.

Now you can always find a Tesla Supercharger off of a highway, and avoid this issue entirely.

 

[henchman24]

Visit any DC FC on the NJ Turnpike.

They ripped out the Tesla Superchargers in favor of Applegreen CCS chargers with screwed on NACS adapters. Those adapters don't clear the fender of the Cybertruck so you can NOT DC FC a Cybertruck from any dispenser on the NJ Turnpike. BTW, this also applies to the Applegreen-run stations in NY state as well.

Now you can always find a Tesla Supercharger off of a highway, and avoid this issue entirely.

Another reason for me to avoid New Jesery.

That whole saga was/is stupid. Even worse that they didn't get the NACS adapter right. In this case an EVJect would likely solve that problem (that shouldn't exist in the first place). It is perfect safe to use with the new revision too.

 

[carsly]

Another reason for me to avoid New Jesery.

That whole saga was/is stupid. Even worse that they didn't get the NACS adapter right. In this case an EVJect would likely solve that problem (that shouldn't exist in the first place). It is perfect safe to use with the new revision too.

Maybe EVJect would work for reach, but then you're daisy-chaining adapters which is generally a no-no.

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